Anniversary Ball raises £2,200 for Dementia Forward

Sir Graham Hall and Ripon’s deputy mayor were among 140 guests at a black-tie ball celebrating the first anniversary of North Yorkshire’s Dementia Forward charity.

The event at Harrogate’s Rudding Park Hotel raised more than £2,200, which the charity will use to support people living with dementia, and those who care for them in the Ripon and Harrogate district.

Dementia Forward’s chief executive, Jill Quinn, said:

The ball was a great success and I’d like to thank everyone who attended the event and donated so generously.

In particular, I’d like to thank those who donated raffles prizes, performed on the night, or helped with the event organisation.

Events like our anniversary ball help us to raise funds to continue supporting people with dementia and their families.

But holding events also helps us to raise awareness of the ever-growing need for support, with more 3,000 people having been diagnosed with dementia in Ripon and Harrogate District.

This has been an incredibly successful first year for Dementia Forward, but there’s a lot of work still to be done.

We would invite anyone who feels they need help or knows someone who does, or anyone who can help us either through a donation or volunteering, to call us on 01765 601224 or email information@dementiaforward.org.uk

Guests at Dementia Forward’s anniversary ball were treated to a night of food and entertainment, with live music and a four-course dinner.

Young local entertainers at the event included local musician Scott Quinn, magician James Orr, pianist Amy Dodds, soprano Esme Varley, baritone Ben Lindley and four students from Harrogate’s St John Fisher Catholic High School performing as the jazz quartet Cosmic Rays.

Live music for the later stages of the event was provided by local band, The Nightjars.

A James Bond-themed raffle draw bought some sparkle to the event, with one lucky winner taking home a pair of diamond earrings worth £1,550 kindly donated jointly by Harrogate jewelers, Ogden, and an anonymous benefactor.

Other raffle prizes included:

A soft-top SLK for the weekend from Mercedes-Benz North Yorkshire

A flight simulator lesson and a helicopter flight from Hields Aviation, Sherburn-in-Elmet

An evening with award-winning chef Andrew Burton of Mannion & Co.

A half-day of golf including lunch from Rudding Park Hotel

A luxurious Yorkshire hamper donated by Mr and Mrs SL Price

Two tickets for a day’s racing in the club enclosure at Ripon Racecourse from Ripon Race Company

A £50 a la carte voucher from Becketts of Knaresborough,

A painting by Michael Brook

A spa day for two at Bodytonix, Mount Royal Hotel, York

A cut and blow-dry at Bojangles, Knaresborough

Tea for two at Café d’licious, Clifton, York

Acqui di parfum from Fenwick of York

Two signed books from author Paul Aidan Richardson

Local organisations that took tables at the event included Ardent’s Financial Planning, Beckett’s Restaurant and Grill, GH Brooks of Harrogate, and Home Instead.

For information about Dementia Forward’s services or future events, or to sign up as a volunteer, call 01765 601224/ 645904 or email information@dementiaforward.org.uk